diff --git a/src/signal/origin/remote.test.ts b/src/signal/origin/remote.test.ts
index 1cdeb16..530709e 100644
--- a/src/signal/origin/remote.test.ts
+++ b/src/signal/origin/remote.test.ts
@@ -1,5 +1,20 @@
 import { expect, test } from "bun:test";
-import { normalizeRemoteOrigin, normalizeRemoteRepository } from "./remote";
+import os from "node:os";
+import path from "node:path";
+import {
+  normalizeRemoteOrigin,
+  normalizeRemoteRepository,
+  readGitRemote,
+} from "./remote";
+
+test("a missing working directory has no Git remote", async () => {
+  const missingDirectory = path.join(
+    os.tmpdir(),
+    `shadowclone-missing-${crypto.randomUUID()}`,
+  );
+
+  expect(await readGitRemote(missingDirectory)).toBeNull();
+});
 
 test("nested namespaces stay distinct owners", () => {
   const first = normalizeRemoteOrigin("https://gitlab.com/group/alpha/service");
diff --git a/src/signal/origin/remote.ts b/src/signal/origin/remote.ts
index a66ff6f..8045a31 100644
--- a/src/signal/origin/remote.ts
+++ b/src/signal/origin/remote.ts
@@ -145,20 +145,24 @@ export function normalizeRemoteRepository(
 }
 
 export async function readGitRemote(cwd: string): Promise<string | null> {
-  const { exitCode, stdout } = await runHostCommand({
-    arguments: [
-      "git",
-      "-C",
+  try {
+    const { exitCode, stdout } = await runHostCommand({
+      arguments: [
+        "git",
+        "-C",
+        cwd,
+        "config",
+        "--local",
+        "--get",
+        "remote.origin.url",
+      ],
       cwd,
-      "config",
-      "--local",
-      "--get",
-      "remote.origin.url",
-    ],
-    cwd,
-  });
-  const value = stdout.trim();
-  return exitCode === 0 && value.length > 0 ? value : null;
+    });
+    const value = stdout.trim();
+    return exitCode === 0 && value.length > 0 ? value : null;
+  } catch {
+    return null;
+  }
 }
 
 export function originDirectoryName(id: string): string {